St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-25
A BRAVE COWARD.

something important DelnS ABOUT 10
happen which so often inserts itself into
the brain of the partially aroused
sleeper.
Without opening my eyes, l began
drowsily wondering what it was. Did
expect my commission? No; that ar
rived three months ago. Was l to join
my regiment? No; | had already done
that, and was now settled in barracks
in small Irish garrison town with an
unpronounceable name. Then l re-
member doZed off again, only to start
up and wonder what on earth it was.
The start did it. L opened my eyes,
and knew it was the oath of June, the
day our fellows had arranged to give
their picnic in ArrangOunick wood.
OF course l had gone to sleep thinking
of it, dreamt of it, and now all my plans
rushed into my brain; how that l, Lieut.
Eric Maurice, III. NJ. Forty-eighth Royal
Blues, stood pledged--at any rate, in
my own mind-on that day to gain for
my own the kindest little heart. the
merrieSt blue eyes, the rOSieSt lips i'll all
the Emerald Isle.
That all these belonged to Norah
O'Cregan [ need not tell you; for if you
have ever heard of that military town of
Houstgoron, you have heard, too, of
Norah.
Once l had fully comprehended all
that was before me, jumped out of my
bed into my tub, singing, whistling and
shouting, as is my wont during the pro-
gressiOn of my toilet. Walls in barracks
are notably not of the thickeSt, and |
received many Interruptions to my
song:
when and how shall learn to meet her?
What are the words she first shall say?''
Bother yOuI' shouted TompkinS
from the room on the left, and crash
came boot hurled viciously against the
wall.
by what name shall lear IN to gree-et
her?'
"You idiotr'-this from Williams on
the right, accompanied by tapping, as of
a brush. "Can't you let fellow sleep?"
II know not now, but shall kno-ow some
day.
At this juncture my door was burst
violently open, and in came Tompkins
himself in an unbecoming state of I'M
dress and another boot held menacingly
up in the air. This, however, he dropped
fixing a crimson rosebud in my coat the
exact shade of the silk handkerchief
whose corners showed knowingly from
my pocket. -,
"Whew! whew!'he calmly remarked,
seating himself on my bed. lis that it?
Poor fellowH And he slowly inspected
me from head to foot. "Don't you
think" he continued, ''that flower leans
little too much to the left? 1t might
fall out, you know. and then all the
heavy work would fall on the handker-
chief; you can't expect it to do the bust
ness unsupported. But stay, dear boy :;
alter nothing. AS you are, you are''-
But here l left the room. This man
always irritated me almost beyond en-
durance, and l never could understand
how any one in this wide world could
find amusement in his foolish remarks.
looked at my watch. Good gracious
1t wanted still three hours to the time
we were to start. Breakfast might be
made to last one, but what to do with
the other two rather puzzled me.
went outside and walked up and down,
but was soon driven in again by seeing
Tompkins' ugly face watching me with
a broad grin from his window.
However, the time passed somehow,
and / saw no more of TOmpkins, and
began to hope, that, after all, he was not
coming with us. This hope lasted until
/ was seated on the drag, when sud-
denly l heard his loud voice as he
"Never know if feel most like cir
Gus or bank holiday on this thing,' he
was heard saying.
And as his head appeared over the
seat opposite me, and his eye caught
mine. he paused, put up his eyeglasses
and slowly surveyed me from the feet
upward, until his eye rested on nv
rosebud, when he gently waved his
hand to intimate it inclined too much to
the left, burst into a loud OUTLAW and
sat down.
This added to the annoyance al
ready felt, and declining to take any
part in the fun that went ON during the
drive, I arrived at the scene of the fes-
tivities in anything but an enviable
frame of mind.
But soon saw Norah standing with
some friend in the shade of the trees.
and the sight of her fresh, sweet face
seemed to act like magic ON my spirits,
and blow all the cObwebs away. Heed
less of the impudent smile on Tomp-
kins' face that greeted my start of
pleasure made my way quickly to her
side, and the shy, sweet smile that well
coined me more than repaid me for my
late annoyance.
''They start at once for the ruins,''
said. ''Will you come, too?''
81 want first to finish my SKETCH" she
answered. 81 want to put in some
cattle, and here there are some fine
oxen near. Could you show me the
wav?''
Now, think if Norah had asked me
anything else in the world should have
jumped at the chance of doing it for her
sake; but to face bullOcks! From nv
infancy have had an Unborn dread of
the whole race; even the hOmeIy and
succulent cow of commerce is not ex-
empt from my dislike; while the mis-
named monarch of the meadows" the
unmitigated bull, fills me with feeling
that hardly falls short of absolute terroT!
did not answer; could not.
"PleaSe do not come, if you would
rather go with the party to the ruins. -
Norah continued. 81 will ask Capt.
Tompkins.''
1t was enough. Hardly considering
the consequences, exclaimed, II will
come with pleasure"
We started.
What magnificent creatures!n she
cried, when she reached the field, "Oh,
and what a number"
There certainly was; and more than
| cared for. Behind, before, on either
hand they stood, grazing, or lay down
chewing the cud.
"Oh, do come closer! I must get that
lovely groupw exclaimed Norah.
| 1t was group of four ferocious-loo
ing beasts, one standing, the rest lying
ID various attitudes around. One. q